Candland warns of inevitable tax increase with $600 million parks, roads bonds

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — The officials who’ve returned our requests for comment on a plan to float $600 million bonds for parks and roads are wary of increased taxes to pay for it.

Prince William County Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson said she wants a bond referendum to go to voters on the ballot in November in two parts: roads (up to $400 million and up to $200 million for parks).

Gainesville District Supervisor Peter Candland, too, wants the voters to decide. And, should the full Board of County Supervisors this month vote to send the bond to a November ballot, he says he’ll spend every day leading up to the vote educating people about increased taxes that will be required to pay for it all.

“These parks projects aren’t just a bunch of fields,” said Candland.

They include multiple indoor facilities such a practice center in Brentsville, a new indoor swimming facility in Woodbridge, and the “Mac Daddy” park project — an $84 million indoor track and field center along Interstate 95 near Occoquan.

“The county is going to have to manage these facilities, and that is going to require hiring people,” Candland added.

He was the only Supervisor not present at May 21 town hall at the Hylton Performing Arts Center where the parks and transportation projects were discussed. A full list of the transportation projects is below.

In addition to elected leaders and county staff, those who attended the meeting were largely supporters of the parks projects and opponents to a planned extension of Van Buren Road near Dumfries.

“I don’t need a town hall to tell me there are wants out there that people have. There are wants a mile long,” added Candland.

A nearly $11 million improvement to James S. Long Park is the only identified park bond project in the Gainesville District. County staff would like to borrow up to $12.5 million to build two new roundabouts in the district, at Catharpin and Sudley roads, and at Pageland and Sanders lanes, and Sudley Road.

There’s also a $40 million plan to widen a portion of Route 55 in front of the Gainesville Fire Department and George G. Tyler Elementary School from two to four lanes. The improvement would bridge the gap between two existing developments.

It’s important to point out that if the bond heads to a referendum and voters approve it, taxes won’t be hiked automatically.

“The vote in November is not a vote to increase taxes. It is a vote to give the Board authority to issue bonds to fund projects in the future. If the board has to increase taxes to fund the projects in the future, that will be part of the budget process, and would have to go through approval by the Board, including a public hearing process,” said Prince William County spokesman Jason Grant.

That annual budget process happens in April when the Board of County Supervisors sets a property tax rate to collect money to fund the local government.

The list of parks and roads projects outlined for the proposed bond is only a guide, and the Board of County Supervisors is not required to fund any of them. Approval of a bond in November only means that voters give elected leaders permission to borrow money for the projects.

Some of the transportation projects could be funded, in part, with state and federal funds, said Rick Canizales, the county’s director of transportation.

If the bond is approved, the identified projects would be added to the county’s capital improvement plan.

“If the community votes for either of the bond referendum questions, the county will continue to seek other funding sources for the projects (federal dollars, state dollars, and private sector investments) to reduce the overall burden on county taxpayers. So, there is no way to know today how much additional county revenues will be required to construct any of the projects,” adds Grant.

List of proposed road bond projects:

Devlin Road widening

• Four lanes widening o Linton Hall to Wellington, to include sidewalk and bike path, 1.8 miles
• $50 million
• Already have $12.5 in federal funds
• Four to six years to build

University Boulevard 

• Build final connection of University Boulevard — between Devlin and Wellington Roads, making for a
• complete University Boulevard that connects Route 29 in Gainesville to Godwin Drive in Manassas.
• $30 million, build two of the envisioned four lanes
• Access to new park and ride on I-66 in Gainesville

Route 28 bypass

• $300 million cost to build four-lane bypass
• $95 million Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funds
• $100 million ask, still have 100 million gap hoping to get from other sources
• 3.5 miles. Five to seven years, Godwin to north of Bull Run in Fairfax County line

Sudley Road roundabouts

• Build new roundabout at Catharpin and Sudley roads
• Build new roundabout at Pageland Lane / Sudley Road / Sanders Lane
• 12.5 million for both roundabouts
• Close to a new park and ride lot on I-66

Route 55: Widen to four lanes between Gillis Way and Catharpin Road

• About a mile long
• Close to Haymarket town line, bridge a gap in between two existing developments where the road has
• already been widened
• $40 million to build

Minnieville Road at Prince William Parkway

• Build Single-point urban interchange
• Minnieville Road to run over Prince William Parkway
• $70 million, will take four to six years to build
• No existing funding
• One of the worst intersections in Prince William County

Old Bridge Road flyover ramp

• Flyover ramp from 123 N to Old Bridge Road
• $15 million, will take three to five years to build

Old Bridge Rd at Prince William Parkway

• Straighten Parkway and make Old Bridge Road
• $15 million, will take three to five years to build
• Always been envisioned parkway through

Summit school road to telegraph road

• Four-lane extinction summit to Caton Hill
• $20 million  ($11 million in existing Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funds)
• Connect to park and ride lot

Van Buren Road extension

• 2.7 miles
• Four-lane extension between 234 and Cardinal drive
• “Much needed extension” $70 million “very expensive road,” said Canizales.
• ParallelrRoute, allows local traffic to stay off Interstate 95

North Woodbridge Mobility improvements

• Extension Horner Road to Marina Way (to the Occoquan River, as called for in a 2008 North Woodbridge plan)
• Extend Annapolis Way (loop road connects Routes 1 and 123)
• Interchange at Routes 1 and 123 (10-year build, others five-year build)
• $165 million total cost
• The county already has $450,000 for the design for Annapolis way

$35 million pedestrian projects (countywide)

• Smaller project completed over the course of 10 to 15 years
• Better transit access

Total

• 11 projects
• 50 new lane miles